Job overview
We are recruiting for a Clinical Physiotherapist Specialist who share our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.
This is an exciting opportunity to take a leading role within a dynamic Rheumatology Service, delivering highly specialist care while influencing service development and clinical excellence.
In this advanced clinical role, you will provide expert assessment, diagnosis, and management for patients living with highly complex rheumatological conditions. Working across specialist outpatient clinics, you’ll apply advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice to deliver outstanding patient-centered care.
This is more than a clinical role — it’s an opportunity to lead, innovate, and elevate the service.
At the heart of everything we do are our core values: Include, Respect, and Improve. We encourage you to embrace these values throughout the recruitment process and in your role with us.
Main duties of the job
Independently assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients with complex rheumatological presentations
Managing highly specialised caseloads within outpatient rheumatology clinics
Applying advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice to inform care plans
Providing clinical leadership within the Rheumatology Service
Contributing to service development, quality improvement, and innovation
Supporting and mentoring colleagues to foster excellence in practice
Working for our organisation
At East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general and specialist services we provide and our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible and innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.
We run the following hospitals:
* The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
* New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
* Hertford County, Hertford
* Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood
We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation and our staff and patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.
We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. This means that any employee is entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns and we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made and considered formally, and will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.
Person specification
Qualifications / Training
Essential criteria
* HCPC registration
* Degree (BSc) in Physiotherapy or equivalent
* Evidence of CPD in rheumatology, MSK or related areas
* Membership of CSP and relevant specialist interest groups
* Postgraduate Master’s level study or modules in rheumatology or MSK or equivalent experience
Desirable criteria
* Leadership/management training
* Non-medical prescribing qualification
* Soft tissue and Joint injection competence
Previous Experience
Essential criteria
* Post-registration experience including rheumatology and/or advanced MSK roles
* Demonstrated leadership experience (formal or informal)
* Experience of supervising junior staff and students
* Evidence of teaching and training others
* Experience in audit, research or service evaluation
* Experience managing complex caseloads independently
Desirable criteria
* Participation in regional or national rheumatology networks
* Experience in service development or pathway redesign
* Previous Band 7 experience
Skills
Essential criteria
* Advanced clinical reasoning and assessment skills
* Highly developed verbal, written and non-verbal communication
* Ability to lead, supervise and motivate staff
* Strong organisational skills with ability to prioritise
* Audit and basic research skills
* Ability to work under pressure & adapt to changing clinical environments
* Proactive, supportive team member with ability to use initiative
* Competent in IT (Word, Excel, EPR, PowerPoint)
Desirable criteria
* Presentation skills
* Patient education programme delivery
* Communication (e.g., motivational interviewing, CBT-informed approaches)
Knowledge
Essential criteria
* In-depth knowledge of rheumatology physiotherapy including inflammatory, degenerative, connective tissue and hypermobility conditions
* Knowledge of rheumatology guidelines, NICE pathways and national standards
* Strong understanding of MDT working and long-term condition management
* Awareness of safeguarding, equality and diversity legislation
* Understanding of NHS policy, AHP frameworks and service delivery models
Desirable criteria
* Critical appraisal and research methodology
* Knowledge of service transformation and pathway development
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
* Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion
* Role model our Trust values every day
* Ability to travel across sites
* Physically able to undertake clinical duties including patient handling
* Commitment to ongoing personal development
* Car owner/driver (unless exempt by Equality Act)